Bernie – Too Sexy for His Fur

May 24, 2016May 24, 2016 / Erica Herd / 22 Comments

This is Bernie, whom many of you have already heard about. He is the latest member of our “pride.” We adopted him through S.T.A.R.T. (Save the Animals Rescue Team) in New Jersey. He was at a pound in Paterson–apparently his owner had died–and brought to PetSmart in Paramus for adoption. He resided there for about two months: everyone loved him but they were concerned about his weight–24 pounds. I guess that made him hard to adopt, and the fact he wasn’t a kitten; he’s five years old. We are keeping him on the lower calorie food he was accustomed to eating, Hill Science Diet “Perfect Weight.” He seems to have lost some weight, mainly from being uncaged and playing with the other cats and going up and down the stairs. I also think he was depressed, but he isn’t showing any signs of that now. All good!

As you can see he is quite the looker and loves to pose for a photograph. This song is in honor of Bernie. He’s too sexy for his fur, wouldn’t you agree?

Karl ♡ Bernie

April 30, 2016April 30, 2016 / Erica Herd / 11 Comments

Bernie has been with us for a week now, and Karl has grown quite fond of him.

Bernie

Karl

Karl’s best friend Magnus died of a heart attack in 2011–he was only 18 months old–and he has never really bonded with another cat since. Magnus was a fearless feline who helped build his confidence. Karl was the runt of the litter abandoned by his young mother and fostered by a very loving woman until we adopted him in November 2008, the day after Obama became president. Karl is timid and sweet and spends most of his time upstairs under the bed. We started feeding Karl separately in our bedroom when we realized the extent of food-bullying by the other cats. Bernie is the first cat to enter our home who is shyer than he.

Bernie is still holed up in the guest room, although he came out a couple times in search of more food. Last night I spotted him at the top of the stairs and tried to lure him down with kibble. Unfortunately Quincy nibbled the kibble before Bernie made his way down.

Karl visits Bernie frequently throughout the day. I’ve also caught him eating out of his food dish, even though Bernie gets a special weight management food, drinking from his water bowl and using his litter box. We are planning to bring the litter box downstairs later today.

A couple nights ago, Lorin fed Karl and Bernie in our bedroom and later found both of them under our bed. Karl likes to sniff him in the face and talk to him in his “cooing” voice. Bernie swatted him once, but it seemed out of fear, not anger.

We don’t know a lot about Bernie except that he came from a pound in Paterson, New Jersey, had matted hair on his back that had to be shaved off and his owner may have died. We also know he was at PetSmart since March 3 before we took him home. He was very popular, and liked to sit in a chair inside his enclosed area and watch the world go by. He’s a very observant cat. The lady at PetSmart told us that people keep asking about him, but his weight made them reluctant to adopt him.

It will be a while before his settles in with the rest of the boys, but we think it’s worth it. Especially if it means Karl will have a new friend. Every creature–human or non-human–deserves a second chance.

Bernie Comes Home

April 26, 2016April 26, 2016 / Erica Herd / 15 Comments

Lorin & Bernie

Here’s the first follow up to the Bernie story. As I mentioned in my last post, “About Bernie,” Lorin met Bernie while harness shopping at PetSmart for our cat Sylvester. Bernie was not surrendered by his owners as we previously thought: his owner died and he was brought to a pound in Paterson, NJ before going to PetSmart. The hair on his back was severely matted, so they shaved him–he doesn’t like being touched there.

Lorin and I went to see Bernie together Saturday afternoon. He is a very gentle boy, timid in fact. He was housed with 10 other cats and kittens–he had his own large cage with a jumbo-sized bed. The lady from S.T.A.R.T. (Save the Animals Rescue Team) said that he loves catnip, the feather stick and his catnip fish. She said we could take him home for a week and see how it goes with the other cats, and bring him back if it doesn’t work out. She gave us his bed and catnip fish, and we purchased some of the Science Diet “Perfect Weight” cat food he has been eating–he is on a diet. He is heavy at 24 pounds, but she said his bloodwork tested negative for diabetes, and he’s had his other vaccinations.

Bernie came home with us Saturday afternoon.

We set up a food and water dish, his bed and a litter box in the guest room to get him acclimated. He spent the first 36 hours or so under the bed. Samson was the first to check him out: he went under the bed and gave him a sniff and walked back out.

Quincy, the head of the household, was most curious about Bernie. He went under the bed, hissed (but no ears back) and gave a low growl, letting him know who was boss.

Quincy (laying down) and Samson

Karl is also very interested in Bernie, and even nibbled at his food.

Karl

By Sunday night, Bernie was sitting on top of the bed: progress!

This morning Quincy jumped on the bed with Bernie on it to take a better look at him, then ran away.

Judging by his gentle demeanor, Bernie might make the perfect therapy cat. We shall see.

So that’s where we are at so far.

I will continue to post updates throughout the week.

Happy Tuesday, everyone!

About Bernie

April 22, 2016 / Erica Herd / 14 Comments

(PetSmart.com)

This is Bernie. My husband Lorin met him at PetSmart in Paramus, NJ last night when he was harness shopping for our cat Sylvester (below).

Bernie is a large, gentle five-year-old who was surrendered by his owners. Lorin thinks he saw his prior owners at the store, and said that Bernie looked very sad. He didn’t know why they were giving him up.

Lorin spoke to the adoption ladies at PetSmart, and they said they were hoping to either find foster parents for him or a forever home. They said they wanted to find someone who would be willing to put him on a diet–he weighs about 40 pounds.

After Lorin told me about Bernie, I had to search for him online. As he bears the same first name as my favorite presidential candidate, I needed to see him in the fur. No information was available in his profile. It merely said “Bernie’s Story” with nothing beneath the photos.

Lorin and I discussed the possibility of fostering him and putting him on a diet until we could find him a forever home. He suggested we go to PetSmart on Saturday to see him. I said that would be fine.

We already have four cats, so taking on a fifth would be a bit much (even for us), but I would like to help him.

Why would anyone abandon a healthy, sweet five-year-old cat? Perhaps they are broke, their house is in foreclosure or they are leaving town. Nevertheless, it seems cruel. Who am I to judge? I don’t know what his prior owners are going through or what events have befallen them to arrive at this decision. All that matters is that this sweet boy finds a home with someone who will love him.